UMKDH4-15-M: Research Proposal on BBC License Fee Alternatives

This research proposal examines the BBC license fee and potential alternative funding models. It begins with an executive summary and introduction, providing background on the BBC's history and the current controversy surrounding the license fee. The aim is to research suitable alternatives, such as advertising, pay-per-view, and subscriptions, to inform decisions about replacing the license fee. The objectives include understanding the BBC and its fees, evaluating customer perceptions, and investigating alternative funding systems. The proposal outlines the research methodology, including the use of a positivistic philosophy, a deductive approach, and a mixed-methods strategy involving both primary and secondary data collection. A descriptive research design will be used, and a survey will be conducted with 50 participants. The research instrument will be a questionnaire. The proposal also addresses limitations and ethical considerations and includes references and appendices, such as a sample research instrument and a Gantt chart.

Research Methods for Marketing
UMKDH4-15-M
ASSESSMENT B: INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL
“Title: BBC license fee”
1

Student ID:
Word count:
Executive Summary
The current project is based on BBC that aim and focuses on research into
best suitable form of the alternatives to inform and support the decision of the
possible replacement of the license fee for BBC. British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC) is tend to be a famous and publicly financed broadcasting system operating
within Great Britain and it is working and functions are being operating under the
name of the royal charter. The current project comprises of discussion about the aim
and objectives along with presenting a detailed discussion about suitable research
methodology to effective carry out the research on selected aim and objectives.
Along with this, a discussion bout the limitation of project and ethical consideration
has been also made.
2

Contents
Executive Summary............................................................................................................................2
1. Introduction/background............................................................................................................4
2. Aim and objectives......................................................................................................................4
3. Research strategy, design, and data analysis strategy.........................................................6
3.1 Research strategy...............................................................................................................7
3.2 Research design.................................................................................................................8
3.1.1 Sampling.......................................................................................................................8
3.1.2 Data collection.............................................................................................................9
3.3 Analysis and presentation of findings.............................................................................10
4. Limitations..................................................................................................................................10
5. Ethics..........................................................................................................................................10
6. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................11
7. References.................................................................................................................................12
Appendix A: Example research instrument...................................................................................13
Appendix B: Gantt chart...................................................................................................................13
3

1.Introduction/background
BBC tend to held and have a monopoly on television and in mass media sector
within Great Britain since starting from its introduction until 1954 and on radio until
1972. Further, the main Headquarters of the BBC is tend to be located and situated
within the Greater London borough of Westminster (Støen, 2022). It has been also
seen that the BBC has tend to get positioned itself as a brand educating as well as
well informing mass media along with tend for helping people in the setting and
leading out of the learning based on the reflecting the cultural value of the different
communities globally. Along with this, BBC also tend to have and makes uses of the
value-based positioning strategy for the attracting and catering a larger number of
customers. Further, it has been seen that the BBC is tend to be public broadcaster
that has been funded by a system of annual ‘licences’ from the citizens of UK include
of each household possessing a TV is required that is requested to be purchase by
law. As in the recent years as the number of TV channels available in the UK has
proliferated thus, this annual license fee has become controversial and it is still
needed to be payable by households that tend to watch any form of the live TV,
irrespective of the fact that whether or not they watch BBC channels (Petukhov,
Polevaya and Gorbov, 2022). Thus, it is creating a level of high dissatisfaction in
customers and giving rise to the controversy that has reached new heights last year
when the concessionary free TV licenses for those aged 75 plus were largely
withdrawn. Thus, for the household in UK this License fee of BBC is now classed as
a tax and if any kind of failure is made to pay would tend to taken as a criminal
offence.
2.Aim and objectives
Aim
The aim of the current project is, “To conduct and carry out research into suitable
alternative systems of funding like advertising, pay as you view and monthly
subscription that can be adopted and implicated by BBC in order to inform and
support the decision about the replacement of the license fee.
Objective
 To develop better understanding about the BBC and its licensing fees.
4

 To evaluate about the customer perception towards the licensing fees
charged by BBC.
 To investigate about the suitable alternative systems of funding to inform and
support the decision of the possible replacement of the license fee for BBC
Research questions
 What understanding and information do you having about the BBC and its licensing
fees?
 What possible customer perception is being seen towards the licensing fees
charged by BBC?
 Which can be the suitable alternative systems of funding to inform and
support the decision of the possible replacement of the license fee for BBC
5

3.Research strategy, design, and data analysis strategy
Research methodology is tend to be form out an important section of the research
methodology section that is referred as a systematic process which is associated
and considered to be get resolving around to the issue of research adopted for the
data collection by the way of the using different techniques, administering an
interpretation of the collected data. Further, the research methodology section also
set out a vital and systematic way for the drawing valid outcomes as well as
considering and bringing out the conclusion regarding the resource data (McElroy
and Noonan, 2022). Thus, the research methodology section tend to be supports
and presents a blueprint of the study and forms a significant part in the overall study.
Along with this, in the research study, methodology section tend to be not all about
defining the data gathering and collection process along with analysis. But, also
includes of the discussion of the overall perspectives and approaches of the process
of research to effectively carry out investigation to achieve and meet the set
objectives.
Research philosophy
It also a crucial part of the research method that set a base for creation of the
knowledge that is vital and effective in presenting a systematic way for the
researcher to carry out an investigation. The research philosophies are mainly four
types in which realism, pragmatism, interpretivisim and positivism are included and
comprise of (Potter, 2022). The interpretivisim is tend to be in-depth and detailed
way of study comprising review of human behavior thus not appropriate for current
study. Thus, in accordance to the nature of the current study that is tend to be based
on determine about the customer perceptive towards BBC license fees along with
analyzing suitable alternative systems of funding use of the positivistic philosophy is
seemed appropriate as it supports a more practical as well as the systematic way of
undertaking and carry out an investigating to effectively accomplish and achieve the
set objectives (Charlesworth, 2022).
Research approach
This forms out a vital part of every set of the investigation that is related as well
as concerned with the setting a base for the creation of the knowledge. Along with
6

this, it tend to be vital to provide guidance and better way of conducting investigation.
This crucial part of the research method is tend to be divided onto two main types
and categories. It has bene seen that the deductive is related with objective nature
while inductee is concerned with subjective study. The selection and use of the
deductive form of research approach is seemed fit and appropriate for current project
as it seemed to be in line with the choice of positivistic philosophy. Along with this,
deductive approach is also suitable to have better testing and sacking of data to
analysis about the selected topic of BBC and Licensing fees.
3.1 Research strategy
This part of research method is tend to be vital as it provide as well as supports a
complete action and with the setting of the framework that is regarding the gathering,
collection, analyzing as well as interpretation of the set and collection of the data to
effectively meet as well as accomplish the set objective (Pitchford-Hyde, 2022). The
different research strategies that are commonly used in the investigation involves
action way of the oriented research, systematic form of the literature review,
quantitative way of the survey, interview of method, observation as well as the case
study research etc. Out of the these set of the research strategy that one that is
seemed mots appropriate and suitable with respect to current project is based on the
mixed method of both primary and secondary data collection where use of
systematic literature review strategy would be made for review of secondary data.
While, the selection and choice of the survey strategy is being made to gather and
review about the primary set of the information. An implication and review can be
made that the choice of the survey strategy of work is suitable and effective as it
supports and brings out a cost as well as time efficient way of the data collection
based on the use of questionnaire that supports and implicate the easy collection of
data from a larger set of participants (Timotijevic, 2022).
3.2 Research design
it tend to form and comprise of a vital part of every investigation that tend to
present about the actual design and plan that is has been lead and used by the
researcher to carry out the work in a planned and effective manner. Further, it has
been seen and find out that the research design tend to supports and present a more
7

effective as well as the systematic manner to conduct study in a meaningful manner
(Saadati and et. al., 2022). The various forms and types of the research design tend
to includes and comprise of the descriptive, explanatory, experimental as well as he
exploratory nature of research design. Based on the context and nature of the
current study adoption and making use of the descriptive set of research design is
seemed most appropriate and suitable for current study. The reason as well as the
justification for the selection of the descriptive nature of research design is tend to be
based on the fact that it supports collection of ample amount of information o
analysis and review a set of objective. Along with supporting of better presentation of
the collected facts along with effective interpretation and analysis is being also
supported by descriptive research tend which makes it viable for current project to
effectively review abut BBC and its licensing fees (St
๘ en, 2021).
3.1.1 Sampling
The sampling tend to includes and comprise of a vital process of selecting
and choosing a number of participants and units from a well-defined set of larger
target population. It has been seen that undertaking an investigation on a larger
target audience would tend to require a large number of resources as well as more
time for collection and analysis of the facts (Bailey, 2022). Thus, at that time making
use of the sampling technique tend to supports a systematic process to choice out
and identify a limited number of units that set out the representation of entire
population and supports higher cost and time efficiency while undertaking and
conducting an investigation. Further, it has been seen that there are two main types
and forms of the probability and non-probability sampling method. In accordance to
the nature of current study selection of 50 participants has been made from the
employees and customers of the BBC with the help of random method of sampling to
support collection of ample amount of information to effectively meet the set
objectives (Wang and et. al., 2022).
Research instrument
the use of the questionnaire has been made as research instrument for
undertaking and conducting current survey which supports easy collection of data
from a larger number of participants (Schneider and et. al., 2022). Questionnaire is
basically a written document that comprises of a set questions based on selected
8

topic and supports better review and analysis of participants view point based on
their choice. A example and sample of questionnaire used for collection of data
within current project has been provided under the heading of appendix.
3.1.2 Data collection
It tend to be form out one of the main and crucial set of research method that
is comprising two sources of data collection that is primary and secondary sources of
the data collection. In acc8rdance to the nature and perceptive of the current project
based on the BBC and licensing significant amount of information is needed to meet
set objective (Gutierrez Lopez and et. al., 2022). This application and use of the both
primary as well as secondary source of the data collection has been made in current
project. The collection of the primary set of data is made with the help of making use
of questionnaire as research instrument while the review and implication of
secondary data would be made with the help of the selection and identification of the
online set of the literature present in form of online books, journals and other article
(Thirumoorthy and Muneeswaran, 2022).
Further, it has been seen that there are two method of data collection comprises
of the qualitative and quantitative data that present the nature of the data collected.
The qualitative choice of method is based on leading and undertaking of a detailed
as well as an in-depth set of analysis and investigation therefore, it tend to be more
time consuming as well as complex in the nature. On the other side, making use of
the quantitative set and choice of method is seemed appropriate for current study as
it supports an easy term of data collection that is mainly gathered in form of numeric
set of data (Støen, 2022). Thus, the implication and selection of the quantitative
method of data collection is seemed appropriate to have easy collection of data
along with better analysis based on used of statistical charts and tables to reach a
measurable as well as specific set of result.
3.3 Analysis and presentation of findings
The analysis and presentation of the primary set of data collected in form of
quantitative method through making use of questionnaire would be made with the
help of ferquecy table and pie charts (Petukhov, Polevaya and Gorbov, 2022). The
use of frequency table leads to a systematic presentation of the raw data based on
similar opinions while pie chart supports better presentation of facts. On the other
9

hand, the analysis and presentation of secondary source of findings would be made
based on leading and conducting of the analysis of the literature review.
4.Limitations
There are various limitation and short coming faced while undertaking and
conducting current investigation that comprises of the having limited set of time for
undertaking stay that limit the scope of current project. Along with having ineffective
accessibility and reach to the resources and many complexity in undertaking data
collection has been also faced which are key obstacles hampering the effective of
current study (McElroy and Noonan, 2022). The limitation related with the
unanswered survey has been also faced along with the challenges associated with
the issue of having dishonest answers that has affected the reliability and
authenticity of current investigation. Along with this, the challenges related with time
taken in undertaking and interpretation of the collected data has been also faced
thus, use of the quantitative nature of investigation has been made to overcome and
mitigate the challenges related with the time constraints.
5.Ethics
Research ethics tend to forms out and comprises of a vital section of every project
and investigation that allows and directs the researcher to undertake and carry out a
study in ethical manner. There are various set of ethical principles and constraints
that need to be follow and adopted by the investigator to carry out and undertake an
invention in ethical way consists of the having the honesty and openness while
undertaking investigation to remove chances of discrimination (Potter, 2022).
Further, ensuring and leading out significant level of the integrity and authenticity
along with maintain the confidentiality is also vital to meet the ethical considerations.
With respect to current project to meet the set ethical consideration and ensure the
higher reliability and authentic of investigation use of the BERA code of ethics has
been made. Along with this, to ensure the anonymity as well as higher confidentially
and safety of collected facts use of the provision lead out by data protection act has
been also made to ensure authentication and privacy of collected facts.
10

6.Conclusion
Based on current proposal, a conclusion can be made that BBC is a leading broadcaster
and mass media communication that is having a considerable legacy. But it has been also
seen and summarized that the coming of new TV channels and the fixed licensing fees has
created a change with the perception of customers. Therefore, the main summarization and
conclusion of current proposal is based on undertaking and requirement of analyzing about
the suitable alternative of funding for BBC that best meet and supports its decision of
replacing licensing fees.
11

7.References
Bailey, R., 2022. Consternation Bias: Debates, TV Inquisitions and Impartiality in a
Changing Electoral Era. In Political Communication in Britain (pp. 167-177).
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Bigongiari, G., 2022. Positioning Mrs Coulter in BBC/HBO’s His Dark Materials. In Gender
and Female Villains in 21st Century Fairy Tale Narratives. Emerald Publishing
Limited.
Charlesworth, D., 2022. Negotiating and validating the “housewife” identity: Cookery advice
in BBC TV Women's Programming (1946–1961), the influence of Marguerite Patten,
and Cookery Club (1956–1961) as an early audience participation series. In Food and
Cooking on Early Television in Europe (pp. 37-52). Routledge.
Gutierrez Lopez, M. and et. al., 2022. A question of design: Strategies for embedding AI-
driven tools into journalistic work routines. Digital Journalism, pp.1-20.
McElroy, R. and Noonan, C., 2022. ‘Rooting’the BBC: An interview with Rhodri Talfan
Davies, Director of BBC nations. Critical Studies in Television, 17(1), pp.32-45.
Petukhov, A.Y., Polevaya, S.A. and Gorbov, E.A., 2022. The Impact of Internet Media on the
Cognitive Attitudes of Individuals on the Example of RT and BBC. In Biologically
Inspired Cognitive Architectures Meeting (pp. 400-405). Springer, Cham.
Pitchford-Hyde, J., 2022. Masculinity, Identity, and Disabled Veterans: How British
Audiences Respond to Representations of Military Veterans on Prime Time BBC
Programmes. In Rhetoric of Masculinity: Male Body Image, Media, and Gender Role
Stress/Conflict. Lexington Books.
Potter, S.J., 2022. This is the BBC: Entertaining the Nation, Speaking for Britain, 1922-2022.
Oxford University Press.
Saadati, M. and et. al., 2022. A comparative study of users' interaction with how to pay for
news items on the Instagram page of IRIB and BBC Persian. Journal of Culture-
Communication Studies, 23(57).
Schneider, L. and et. al., 2022. Time to retract Lancet paper on tissue engineered trachea
transplants. bmj, 376.
St ๘ en, M., 2021: The BBC simulates prehistoric wildlife. Public understanding of science
(Bristol, England), p.9636625211068944.
Støen, M., 2022. 1999: The BBC simulates prehistoric wildlife. Public Understanding of
Science, p.09636625211068944.
Thirumoorthy, K. and Muneeswaran, K., 2022. Feature selection for text classification using
machine learning approaches. National Academy Science Letters, 45(1), pp.51-56.
12